Large Enterprises Dilemma

Adding to all of this is the sheer difficulty of changing operating systems
in a large enterprise. Do you simply decree that all future purchases be
Windows 7, and then face the expense and complexity of supporting two different
platforms? Do you make a wholesale change and end up disposing of computers
before the end of their economic lives? Do you decide to keep costs under
control by refusing to upgrade? For most companies, especially during the
current recession, the choice has been the latter.
But eventually that choice has to change. Despite the fact that many
companies will wish it weren't so, their computers will eventually cost too
much to keep. When they break, parts will be hard to find or expensive, their
energy use will make replacing them more economically attractive, and at some
point they'll need to buy new machines and XP won't be an option.

The only real solution will be to start a phased replacement of your Windows
XP machines. As they reach the end of their economic life, decide that you won't
replace them with another XP machine. Decide you'll get Windows 7, and decide
that if you plan ahead you can train the IT staff and ultimately save money
through reduced energy consumption.

But regardless of how you do it, the time to change is here. If you really
do have machines that are too new to phase out and are also unable to run
Windows 7, then install Linux. It'll run better on those machines anyway.

Wayne Rash is a Senior Analyst for eWEEK Labs and runs the magazineÃÃÃs Washington Bureau. Prior to joining eWEEK as a Senior Writer on wireless technology, he was a Senior Contributing Editor and previously a Senior Analyst in the InfoWorld Test Center. He was also a reviewer for Federal Computer Week and Information Security Magazine. Previously, he ran the reviews and events departments at CMP's InternetWeek.

He is a retired naval officer, a former principal at American Management Systems and a long-time columnist for Byte Magazine. He is a regular contributor to Plane & Pilot Magazine and The Washington Post.